Lewis, Zechariah (2)

Lewis, Zechariah a Congregational minister and editor, son of Reverend Isaac Lewis, D.D., was born at Wilton, Connecticut, January 1, 1773. With his twin brother, Isaac, he graduated from Yale College in 1794, and after studying theology at Philadelphia under Ashbel Green, D.D., was licensed to preach in 1796; and in the same year was appointed tutor in Yale College, remaining in that office until 1799. While a theological student he was a private tutor in general Washington's family. Convinced that his health was too much impaired to fulfil the duties of the ministry, he became the editor of the Commercial Advertiser, and New York Spectator, continuing in that employment until 1820. For six years he was corresponding secretary of the New York Religious Tract Society, out of which sprang the American Tract Society. Resigning this position in February 1820, he was elected, in May, a secretary of the United Foreign Missionary Society, which office he held for five years. For several years he was editor of the American Missionary Register, which he began to publish in July 1820. He died in Brooklyn, N.Y., November 14, 1840. See Sprague, Annals of the Amer. Pulpit, 1:666.